Sectional catenary bunker



April 2, 1929. F. B. ALLEN 1,707,341

SECTIONAL CATENARY BUNKER Filed Aug. 6, 1924 L k Y E@ fm2 ATTO NEY A Patented Apr. 2,1929. y 1,707,341

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EEANK B. ALLEN, OE NAEEERTH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNon, EY `inEsNE ASSIGN- MnNlSJ To THE ALLEN-sHEEMAN-HOEE cOMrANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- vANIA, A CORPORATION OF `PENNSYLVANIA.

sEoTIoNAL CATENAEY BUNKEE.

Application inea August e, 1924. serial Nb. 730,548.

This invention relates to hoppels, particumembers and top side members 6. From larly those of the so-called catenary type7 end members 5 angle bars 7 are suspended, wherein the hopper is supported -lroin its top While to the side members 6 bands 8 are seedges and has curved Walls following, in gencured, the bands 8 being curved intermediate 5 eral, the line of a catenary curve. The intheir ends sulistantially as shown and with vention also relates to a hopper composed of either end secured to a member G. I prefer a plurality oit independently removable, overtio use steel for the angle bars 7 and bands S z lapping sections having slidable contact or reasons which will appear hereinafter. with each other and supported by tension The ends Walls of the hopper of Fig. 'l are l0 members suspended 'from their ends. It also formed by securing to the suspended angle relates to a hopper of the catenary type havbars ,wall sections 9, Whichsections are subing sectional cast iron walls and a steel supstantially rectangular and are provided with 60 porting structure on the exterior thereof. It outwardly extending flanges along the pelurtlier relates to the construction of a subriphera'l edges so shaped as to cooperate with stantially Water tight, durable, unlined hopsimilarly formed flanges on adjacent plates. per having sectional Walls and adapted to These plates 9 may be secured to the member change its shape to a limited extent when 7 by various means but I prefer to secure 65 Carrying 10ML y them by means of bolts l0, which pass ln the drawings attached hereto and for'nr through perrorations ll in the angle bars 7, ing a part of this specitlcation, and in Which the `heads .of the bolts being removably interl have illustrated one embodiment of my locled with correspondingly shaped bolt invention lugs 12'on the outside of plates 9. It will be Figure lis a fragmentary perspective view understood that the lugs l2 are composed ot o a hopper ol the catenary type embodying a wall portion 13 integral with but spaced .25 my invention, apart from the body ofthe plate 9 and having Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical a slot la cut in one side thereof which slot section of the bottom part of the hopper 1s narrowerthan the Width of the bolt head, 7' Shown in Fi l, so that the shank of the bolt may slide therein Fig. il is a lfragiiientary vertical section `but the headol the bolt may not pass therew italie-.ii near lthe top` oi the side walls of the through. Corner iiiembei's l5 are secured to hopper shown in Fig. l, showing certain the lower or free ends of theangle bars 7 parte in Venlarged det-aib l and arue bentlo correspond with the curvaso Fig. l is an enlarged lragmentary secture or the side walls ot the hopper. The tional view taken on a horizontal plane plates 9 are secured to members l5 substanf through the side Walls near the top Oliigz l. tially in the manner as described for plates Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 9 and bars btrengtlienmg tie plates 16 exfix 5--5 of Fig. l, and tend across the end Walls of the hopper and 85 Figure G is an enlarged lragmentary secare secured to the angle bars and are'contional view talren on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. nested with side tie plates I7 which act as fio yn the dmwings, 1 designar@ as an. entirety supports for the side Walls 2 of the hopper a hopper of the catenary type, thatis, having to limit the outward movement of walls 2.

side Walls suspended `from their ends and Reteience to Figs. o and 6 will Imake clear 9o .www thembetween Prefgmbly, though not the interlocking arrangementon the end necessarily, in the form of a catenary curve. plates 9. Fig. 5` shows the formation of `the The curved side vvalls of hopper l are desigupper and lower edges of platesA 9 with each nated by numeral 2,vvhile3 indicatesstraight plate having along its lower edge a flange end Walls. The hopper l is supported by a which overlaps the upstandiiig langeof the framework consistingof uprights 4., top end plate next therebeloW and engages Onthe nr side of such flange in a manner to cause water passing down the wall to ieinain inside the l vhopper and not lealr out through the hori- Zontal joints between the plates. In Fig. 6 it willbe noted that the plates 9 have correspondingly formed flanges 9a and 9b on their Vvertical edges and that the vertical edges of adjacentr plates are located lengthwise of the angle bars 7 softhat these bars effectively constitute a closure of the small space between adjacent plates, thereby preventing leakage of water through the vertical joints between the plates.. Due to the construction of the end walls 3 including` the tie plates 16 these walls are substantially rigid even when the side walls tendto take on different shapes under load. 1

The side walls 2 of hopper 1 are preferably composed ofwall sections 18 which are substantially'rectangular in cross section and which' have outwardly projecting flanges on their peripheral edges. The plates 18 for use at points near the top of the hopper or at certainpoints therebelow maybe substantially plane, while the plates 18 constituting the bottom portions of the walls where there is considerable curvature, are curved substantially vas shown in Fig. 2.

. outer surface 23to project over and substantially'engage the convex inner surface 21 on the plateftherebe'low, the surfaces 21 and 23 beingr'preferably formed with substantially the sameradius so that two'adj acent plates 18 may lie-moved relatively to each other withouteffecting the initial'close fitting contact `between flanges 2()l and V22. A f. served that flange 22 projects over the inner It will be ob surface of flange 21 at all times, therebyv preventing lea rage ofwater through the .hori.

zent-al joints between the plates in much the .y I' saine manner as has already been described inv connection with thev horizontal edges of end plates 9 represented by Figs. 5 and 6.

y.Side sections or plates 18 are supported on the inner sides of bands 8, the bands being preferably located over the vertical edges of the platestovinsure a substantially water tight junction ofthe plates. Each plate. 18

' n is Vprovided with one or more bolt lugs 24 resembling the boltV lugs 12 on Vend plates or sections ,9 and adaptedto receive bolts 25 re#V movableinthesameinanner as bolts 10 are hel-d is lugs 12.. The means for securing sec-` ,tions 18 in contacthwith bands 8 preferably i compri'seboltsf25`and plates 2,6 disposed on 7 the outer side' and transversely of bands 8,

each plate 26 being provided with holes on either side of bands 8 to receive thc bolts 25. When nuts 27 are screwed onto the bolts 25 they clamp the bands 8 between wall sections 18 and plate 26, thereby securin g the wall scc* tions firmly in place.

The bands 8 which are preferably formed 'of steel and are capable of being bent during installation or when the hopper is subjected toload thus carry the wall sections 18 firmly secured thereto but permit limited movement between the sections so that the hopper may change its shape or its curvature to a limited extent, when subjected to load.

rlhe wall sections or plates 9 and 18 are .preferably formed of cast iron since this niaterial is more durable in the presence of acidulated water, such for example as is present in coal and because of this property, I find it unnecessary to use any lining material for the hopper. lThe flanges 9a, 9b and 19 and 19x on the wallsections cooperate to prevent leakage of water between the sections and par ticularly when the spaces between the adjacent plates are filled with a material which quickly rusts the iron and forms an effective seal against the passage of water therethrough. The bands 8 and angle bars 'i' may be composed of steel because of the substantially water tight nature of the walls 2 and 3, it being understood that steel is attacked readily by acidulated water. It is preferable to use steel because it is so much stronger than cast iron or other materials suitable for use in hopper construction.

It will be noted that the angle bars 7 and bands 8 which afford the entire support for the hopper walls are always in tension and are not subjected to compression no matter how the hopper is loaded. Since the centers of curvature of the surfaces 21 and 223 lie in bands 8, any relative movement of plaies 18 will be accompanied by a curving of bands 8 substantially free of any bending moniei'it.

lized than has been possible heretofore and consequently the resulting hopper is considerably lighter than any in existence prior to my invention. A further fact which results in the construction of a light hopper is the elimination of the customary hopper lining material which necessitated the provision (if correspondingly greater strength in the supporting members.

It will be understood that in the present construction, the side walls 2 tend to change their shape under load, the change bcing'a maximum at a point midway between the end walls 3 and a minimum at the junctions with the en-d walls provided the load is applied uniformly.

It will also be understood that, by reason of the formation of flanges on the wall plates 9 and18, it is easy to remove any plate 9 or 'For these reasons lighter parts may be uti- A llt! 15B trom the vvall and insert another' one independeiitly of all the remaining plates. This is oi' advantage in repair or maintenance Work Where it may be nesesary to substitute a new plate for a damaged or broken plate.

lll-though l have described my invention as embodied in a hopper having curved side Walls, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is applicable to hoppers variously constructed, Whore a limited amount of relative movement between the Wall sections is desired and Where the members sujiiportinp,1 the wall sections are in tension. Accordingly, l do not desire to have my invention limited to the modification shown but to have it con* strued as broadly as is indicated by what is claimed.

lid/*hat l claim is:

l. A hopper comprising` a sheathing coinposed of a plurality of rigid, relatively movable sections, and a suspension iframe euthciently flexible to permit the sheathing to assume a tree curve in vertical cross section under Weight of the sheathing.

2. l hopper having Walls capable ol limited movement when subjected to load coinprising curved, ivall suppciting,` iii-embers and a Wall composed ot independently removable sections carried thereby, each ection having its edges shaped to engage slidably at all times the correspondingly shaped edges ol the sections adjacent thereto, and means secru-ingthe said members and sections together While permitting limited relative movement ot the sections Vith respect to each other.

o. il hopper having side Walls composed of Wall supporting, tension members and 'ivall CVI sections carried thereby, each section ot the said Wall being provided at its lower side edge with a suitably shaped surface to cooperate with the inner surface at the top edge oli the adjacent plate therebelovv with Water tight, sl idable engagement.

4l. A hopper having; walls composed ot wall supporting steel members suspended troni their ends and cast iron Wall plates cai ried on the inner side oli the said steel inenibers, the plates having;` overlapping, substantiallv vvater proc-t engagement With each othei1 and With the said members.

e. il hopper having),` curved Walls compris iup; curved, Wall supporting tension members capable ot' changing the :torni oli their curvature when subjected to load, and vvall sections supported by the said members and adapted to permit change ot curvature of the said members substantially 'free of anyloendingl movement in said sections.

(l. il. hopper having curved Walls comprising;1 curved, Wall supporting tension members cap able ot changing the torni or their curvature when subjected to load, and sectional Walls supported by the said members, each Wall section having slidably engaging contact with the sections adjacent thereto Whereby change ot curvature oi the said tension members when subjected to load is permitted.

7. rl.. hopper of the catenary type compris ing;I Wall supporting.;l members having the general cuivatiuc-i ol? a catene 'y curve and capable otl assuniing` dill'erent curvatures when subjected to loar, and a sectional Wall carried by the said members, each section ot' the Wall having1 slidable, liquid sealing); contact with the sections adjacent thereabove and thercbeloiv and means securing@1 the said sections in Water sealing1 contact at their ends with the said tension members.

8. A hopper having curved said Walls coinpi'isino` members in the toi-m oli bands suspended trom their ends, Wall sections supported by the bands and means securing the sections iii contact with the bands, the said securing means comprising' a plate located on the outside 'and extending` transversely ot the said bands, and members passing` through the plate on either side ot the band and secured to the Wall sections.

9. A hopper having),` curved side Walls comprising' members in the Ylorm oli bands suspended iroin their ends, Wall sections supported by the bands and means securing1 the sections in contact with the bands, the said securing` .means comprising a plate extending transversely, and on the outside ot the band and havingl holes on either side ot the band,

bolts passing' through the holes, the heads` ot the bolts havingl imaerlockingengagement With the said sections.

l0. is a new article of manufacture, a Wall section lor a hopper comprising a substanti lly rectangular body having periph eral flanges on all sides thereof adapted to cooperate `with corresponding flanges of similar sections, the flange on one side `havinfif a concave outer surface and the liange on the opposite side thereof having` a convex inner surtace, the curvature ot the said concave and convex surfaces being); approximately equal.`

ll. A hopper having,i Walls composed ot sections, the edges oit jaid sections beingl pro-- vided with flanges toiinterloclringr with ad jacent sections, one olf said interlocking llangges having` a concave outer surface and the flange interlocking' 'therewith having' a convoi; inner surtace, the curvature ot said surfaces beingl substantially the same, and the center curvature lying ybetween said flanges.

l2. A hopper comprisinga plurality ol" Walls each composed ot a plurality ot relatively movable sections,` and a flexible :traine inchiding catenary members supporting` said Walls lior such relative movement.

13. A hopper comprising a plurality ol relatively movable cooperating Wall inein-` bers, and a cateiiary trame carrying` the meinbers and deformable under relative movenientof the'members When the latter are loaded.

14. A hopper comprising a sectional metalliesheathing, and flexible metallic suspen- 5 sion means supporting the same to permit the hopper toassuine the form of a eatenary Curve in transverse vertical section.

15. Ay hopper comprising` flexible Walls, a

supporting` frame, and suspension means carried by the frame having` suflicient liexibility 10 under Weight of the Walls to cause the hopper to assume the foi-1n of a eatenzufy curve l in Vertical Cross section.

In' testimony whereof I hereunto alix my signature this 28th day of July, 1921i.

FRANK B. ALLEN. 

